The IRS has launched its annual Dirty Dozen campaign, urging taxpayers to beware evolving phishing and smishing scams targeting sensitive taxpayer information. With individuals and businesses being inundated by email and text scams, the IRS emphasizes the importance of remaining vigilant against these threats. Fraudsters and identity thieves use various tactics to trick recipients into clicking suspicious links or divulging personal and financial information, posing as legitimate organizations like the IRS.
The Dirty Dozen campaign, initiated in 2002, lists 12 scams and schemes that put taxpayers, businesses, and tax professionals at risk of financial loss and identity theft. While not a formal listing of enforcement priorities, the campaign serves to raise awareness and protect against common tax-related scams.
Phishing and smishing scams, which often peak during tax season but persist year-round, target taxpayers, tax professionals, and HR departments due to their access to sensitive information. Recipients should be cautious of unsolicited emails or texts and refrain from clicking on links or providing personal information. The IRS advises individuals to verify the sender's identity through alternate means and report suspicious messages to phishing@irs.gov.
To combat abusive tax practices and fraudulent tax return preparers, individuals can report such activities using Form 14242, Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers. Reports can be submitted via mail or fax to the IRS Lead Development Center or the IRS Whistleblower Office, where individuals may be eligible for rewards.
By staying informed and proactive, individuals and businesses can protect themselves from falling victim to these scams and contribute to safeguarding the integrity of private information.
Benefit Allocation Systems (BAS) provides best-in-class, online solutions for: Employee Benefits Enrollment; COBRA; Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs); Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs); Leave of Absence Premium Billing (LOA); Affordable Care Act Record Keeping, Compliance & IRS Reporting (ACA); Group Insurance Premium Billing; Property & Casualty Premium Billing; and Payroll Integration.
MyEnroll360 can Integrate with any insurance carrier for enrollment eligibility management (e.g., Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Aetna, United Health Care, Kaiser, CIGNA and many others), and integrate with any payroll system for enrollment deduction management (e.g., Workday, ADP, Paylocity, PayCor, UKG, and many others).
